Destiny (Destiny Freidin) has been told that when she dances she experiences seizures–so, naturally she’s avoided dancing, afraid that she might put her life at risk. What she doesn’t know, however, is that she has a spiritual connection to her Haitian ancestry. Destiny will have the opportunity to show the world her talent, but it comes with a risk. Catching Spirits sees Destiny realizing her place in this world.
That synopsis isn’t one that I was able to realize on my own–it was what I learned by reading the press materials sent to me. That’s not good for a film when I can’t figure out what the hell it's about–and that’s the case here with Catching Spirits. A plot can be convoluted, diluted, or something else entirely, but when it’s presented to viewers in a way that’s impossible to decipher it takes so much away from the film, and it makes it incredibly difficult for me to care.
Fortunately, even through this oversight, Catching Spirits managed to appeal to me anyway. The supernatural element present throughout the course of the film is enticing, and not having access to pieces of the plot caused me to continue to ask what the hell was happening–enough so that I remained engaged. Not being told what was happening throughout, never really being given any sort of guidance, allowed me to focus harder, hoping to catch something, a tidbit of information that might strengthen the narrative–that might give me some inkling about what’s occurring. While that allowed me to temporarily be pulled into Catching Spirits, never being given the necessary information caused the finale of the film to be a letdown.
There are parts of the film that feel like they exist outside of the narrative. While they technically play a role in the development of the plot, they work in a different way. They simply add to the oddity that is Catching Spirits, and they work as a way to appeal to viewers. Unfortunately, just like most else in this film, the “why” of everything is never really explained–and much of what occurs on screen is lost on viewers.
Freidin has a unique look, and it’s almost scary–but it works wonders for Catching Spirits. Without answers regarding what is really happening throughout the duration of the film, Freidin is tasked, in a lot of ways, with being what appeals to viewers. Her unique look, and her ability to present herself in a truly creepy fashion pulls viewers into the film, and allows them to continue to ask questions about the film. Writer-Director Vanessa Beletic does a great job of including characters and small instances that appeal to viewers in an interesting way–things that force viewers to ask questions–and Freidin is one of those pieces.
I keep coming back to the same issue–the fact that major pieces of the plot are left out of the film, and that it’s literally impossible to figure these things out without some guidance. Catching Spirits never gives us any guidance, never gives us any answers–and that, by the end of the film, becomes infuriating. I feel like I’m beating a dead horse, like I’m fixating on something that shouldn't be so damning–but it affects each and every aspect of Catching Spirits, and it pulls everything down. Without coming right out and saying what the catalyst for the film (or at least giving viewers enough information for them to figure things out on their own), Catching Spirits becomes cumbersome and challenging. Catching Spirits has a lot of issues, and they seep through at every turn. I expected more–but very little worked throughout the course of this film.
Written & Directed by Vanessa Beletic.
Starring Destiny Freidin, Justin Porter, Brian Drake, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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